Inkwood Books Hosts World Book Night Launch Party, Welcomes New Owner

Celebrate World Book Night and meet Stefani Beddingfield, the new owner of Inkwood Books, Thursday, April 18 at 7 p.m. at Inkwood Books, 216 S. Armenia Ave., Tampa.

World Book Night is April 23. But even if you're not participating in World Book Night this year, you're invited to drop by the party, which will feature food, beer and wine. World Book Night givers will receive an additional 15 percent off everything in the store.

To find out more about World Book Night and for a list of this year's titles, visit http://www.us.worldbooknight.org/.

Upcoming Events

Be sure to return to Inkwood Books Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m. when Jeff Klinkenberg will discuss and sign his new book Alligators in B-Flat: Improbable Tales From the Files of Real Florida.

In this new collection of essays, Klinkenberg returns to the back roads and swamps of Florida, highlighting the idiosyncracies that make this state great and oh-so-weird. With a nostalgia for Florida's past and a hope for its future,

Klinkenberg grew up in Miami and has been a journalist for the Tampa Bay Times since 1977. He is the only two-time winner of the Paul Hansell Distinguished Journalism Award, the highest honor given by the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. He concentrates on Florida culture and the issues that affect the land and the people who live here. He also occasionally wrestles alligators.

Then, on Sunday, April 28 at 2 p.m., author and former Tampa mayor, Pam Iorio will hand out awards to the winners of the Dare to Dream Writing Contest. The award-winning poetry collection Dare To Dream...Change the World pairs biography and poetry. Each poem tells the story of someone who has defied the odds, challenged naysayers and followed his dreams to change not only their own lives, but the lives of people all over the world.

Following the format of the book, students were challenged to write a biographical poem about a historical or contemporary figure who not only dreamed of a better world, but took action to make his dreams a reality.

About the New Owner

A longtime customer of Inkwood Books, Beddingfield purchased the 21-year-old South Tampa bookstore April 1 from Leslie Reiner and Carla Jimenez.

“We are proud to have the opportunity to pass forward a vibrant, healthy bookstore to Stefani, and are confident the new Inkwood will take great care of our devoted patrons as well as the new customers attracted by the fresh – admittedly younger – steward,” said Jimenez.

Reiner will continue part-time work at Inkwood and remain engaged in literacy work in the community, while Jimenez is looking forward to a busy retirement volunteering in the local community and beyond as advocate for the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance and other causes.

Beddingfield will keep the same name and location, and plans to continue many of Inkwood’s services and events, with new and different ideas as well.

“I will keep the tradition of reciting a poem at Inkwood for a 15 percent discount to celebrate April’s Poetry Month. I'm still smarting from being disqualified with my limerick recitation years ago, so in essence this is all coming full circle, and now I will finally get my discount," said Beddingfield.

Previously, Beddingfield was a stay-at-home mom to daughters Sarah and Claire, and started Freedom Playground Foundation to build universally designed playgrounds.

She is well prepared to take over Inkwood, having attended Prospective Booksellers School and the American Booksellers Association Winter Institute education programs as well as working with the current owners for months.

“I am grateful to Leslie and Carla for this next chapter in my life and look forward to promoting Inkwood's passion for books, reading and community," she said.

Inkwood opened before the arrival of any big-box stores, online competitors and e-books, and has successfully adapted and evolved to meet the challenges of today’s book industry. While situated in a small bungalow, Inkwood Books has nonetheless had a large impact, enjoying steadfast community support from generations of book lovers, hosting hundreds of authors for all ages and interests, holding book drives for various groups and causes, supporting local schools and nonprofits, and lovingly handselling many thousands of books.

For more details on the launch party, click here.

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